About The ProductionThe original The Texas Chainsaw
Massacre has achieved staggering success since it first shocked and stunned
audiences in 1974 with its bone chilling realism. The horrifying story, drawn
from a series of true events, is considered by many to be one of the greatest
thrillers of all time and a landmark of terror that has influenced countless
films in its wake. Although the film was made on a budget of less than $150,000,
it has grossed more than $100 Million worldwide and established itself as a cult
classic to legions of fans around the globe. The film has entered into the
iconography of popular culture by way of its menacing evil character, "Leatherface."
The character remains one of the most recognizable classic villains, while the
film has become the benchmark of terror by which modern films are measured.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre marks
the film debut of production company Platinum Dunes, a joint producing venture
between filmmaker Michael Bay and Radar Pictures. Bay founded Platinum Dunes
along with partners Andrew Form and Brad Fuller.

"The idea was floated right before
we started this company," explains producer Michael Bay. "I wanted to
do The Texas Chainsaw Massacre because of name value alone. It has a
mythical quality to it as one of the very first movies of its kind."

Executive producer and Radar CEO Ted
Field also recalls, "when Michael and I decided to go into business
together, we quickly realized that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was the
perfect film with which to launch the Platinum Dunes label. It is an iconic
story, one that immediately establishes what Platinum Dunes is all about and
sets the tone for what is to come."

"We loved the idea because the
core audience of this movie is males under 25, and although almost all of them
have heard of the title, 90% of them have not seen the original film," adds
executive producer Andrew Form.

Though several increasingly diminishing
sequels to the original film have been made throughout the years, the filmmakers
felt the most chilling elements of the original had been left behind. "The
first misconception of the original film is that it was a gory film,"
explains executive producer Brad Fuller. "It had many extremely disturbing
moments, but only four seconds of blood. It was more conceptually horrifying
than it was visually."

To get the project off the ground and
generate interest from film distributors, Bay directed a teaser comprised of a
black screen with sounds of Leatherface stalking and chasing a young woman in
and around an old house. A quick visual was inserted in the last 10 seconds,
along with the whine of a chainsaw. The results were amazingly effective.

The teaser generated incredible buzz
throughout the industry, which resulted in deals for domestic distribution
through New Line Cinema and international distribution throughout the world with
Focus Features.

Ted Field explains, "we were able
to raise the money to produce the film with incredible alacrity. While
international audiences usually respond well to thrillers, the reactions to
Michael's trailer exceeded our wildest expectations."

"None of us could have expected
the overwhelming positive response the trailer received," Brad Fuller
remembers. "It seemed to hit a nerve with everyone and conveyed the raw
emotion we wanted audi